In 1999, the community group Save Our Sydney Suburbs (NSW) Inc was formed as a non-profit & non-aligned group of residents, originally formed to fight against forced rezoning and over-development of New South Wales suburbs.

Beleaguered residents had fought an endless string of localised battles against increased density developments ("urban consolidation") and badly planned developments such as unfiltered tunnel exhaust stacks. They fought local councils about local rezoning and local developments, and state government departments about inappropriate development. Residents were usually the losers in these local battles.

In order to increase pressure on politicians the Save Our Suburbs community group decided to form a political party. Many obstacles were put in the way but eventually SOS won an appeal against the State Electoral Commissioner's failure to register SOS as a political party able to stand candidates - refer Supreme Court ruling.

SOS is now able to stand candidates in any NSW State or Local Government electoral district.

On TV in 2001 Save Our Suburbs first brought the invidious practice of political donations to the attention of the wider public. This campaign successfully escalated until public pressure reached the stage where politicians were forced to take action and propose legislation to limit this practice.
As Save Our Suburbs became more and more concerned with issues of State governance it was decided to change the name of the party wing to Save Our State to reflect the broadened aspirations of the party. The Party decided it could no longer ignore the shocking incompetence, sleaze and corruption shown by the New South Wales Government. Its expanded aspiration became cleaning up politics in New South Wales.